DePaul student lied about kidnapping, robbery near campus, police say

A DePaul University student lied to authorities about being kidnapped near the school’s Lincoln Park campus Tuesday night and driven to an abandoned house where he was robbed at gunpoint, Chicago police said.

The 19-year-old man initially told police he was walking in an alley behind a McDonald’s in the 900 Block of West Montana Street when two males and a female pulled up to him in a black vehicle and showed a gun about 8 p.m., police said.

He said the group then drove him to an abandoned house in the 4200 block of West Wilcox Street in West Garfield Park neighborhood where they stole his debit card to withdraw cash, and took his ID and cell phone before letting him go, police said.

On Thursday, Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi announced on Twitter that the student was not robbed or kidnapped near the school’s campus or in the Lincoln Park neighborhood.

The robbery, Guglielmi said, was a targeted incident. It was not clear where he was robbed as the investigation was ongoing.

No further information was immediately available.

Case Update on alleged kidnapping in 19th District @ChicagoCaps19 – During their investigation, #ChicagoPolice Detectives determined this was not a kidnapping and the victim was not robbed in the 19 District or near De Paul University. This also was not a random incident.. pic.twitter.com/RD13hcuGkW